More Signs Of Spring

The lovely warm days recently enticed 6 of the 7 Marsh Fritillary caterpillar groups recorded last September  to come out and bask in the Sun.More info in a post last Oct.

I also saw 3 Bumble bees, my first this year ,nectaring on crocus,mahonia heather and snowdrops.

They have been identified as a Bumble Bee (Bombus Cryptarum) this is a rather enigmatic species and is generally lumped in with B. lucoreum.Some regard the faint S between the neck and wing joint as being diagnostic  although this is darker in northern area records that southern records.

the Eritalis drone fly was also working away.